Author: babylonbaroque

I am a painter and printmaker working towards creating a body of work that reflects my own developing aesthetic. New work ,first link. The second link is an on-line portfolio.

The Passing of Light

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Yesterday was a  hard day for us. After several bad weekends our sweet little cat Antigone had to be put down.

Two weekends ago she suffered from congestive heart failure; last weekend she was in kidney failure, we patched her up as best as one can patch up a 19 year old kitty and kept her comfortable, sort of.  This week she looked so uncomfortable, listless, wheezing, fluid pouring from her sad eyes.

We knew but wanted to pretend otherwise.

 David set an appointment with the veterinarian;  in addition to her other complications, her lungs were infected. Completely treatable but to what end? If my dear Chihuahua Speck had such an infection he would be pumped full of antibiotics pronto; but poor Tiggy, what would we be accomplishing ? We made an ambivalent/determined decision and stuck with it until the final solution did its job. Even as that odious pink fluid flooded her little three pound body I wanted to scream for it to stop. But it didn’t and we chose the right path .

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What had been her sick room, the little “Chinois” computer room is still littered with the detritus of her decline; David couldn’t bear to remove her presence so swiftly. I’m so pragmatic at times but what I wanted to do was preempt the sorrow of her loss. Her loss, the passage of all that we love is so inevitable, so common yet so fresh and harsh each and every time. Fate made her point in that one year ago yesterday, as we were putting down Antigone, we had put down our odd and sweet and grumpy daschund  Buddy. Wishing them both a safe passage to whatever the hell happens next.

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 With pets dying, with Antigone particularly, they represents milestones in one’s own life. Like the good lesbians that we are, David and I adopted Antigone as a kitten only a few weeks after we met and a few weeks before renting a U-Haul moving van. That was over 18 nears ago , best decisions I have made.

She had been our companion on this adventure ever since and now she isn’t.  New adventures, life to be lived as fully as possible await  but last evening we toasted her with the best thing we had in the house, a 1999 bottle of Dom Perignon ( I wished it had been 1995 her birth year, but so it goes).

So to Tiggy and to Buddy and  to Daisy and one day to one another; resolving to honor this light as well as I am able.

Be well, Lg

p.s. the figurine at the top of this post had been of four, lovely little things; upon first adopting the little monkey, Antigone quickly shattered its mate in her kittenish enthusiasm. I’m still sore over that.

Back to the Hermitage

Having first finished Flaubert’s The Temptation of Saint Anthony and then  having gone to the Getty Centre to see the spectacular Ensor exhibition ( twice, and not at all too many visits )  where I encountered Ensor’s interpretation of the poor anchorite bedeviled by worldliness, I was inspired to paint yet another Temptation.  

Flaubert’s work influenced Ensor and that is apparent, from the writhing Byzantine whirl of Temptations to the floating, glowing head of the Savior (Freud was also heavily influenced by this amazing and odd little book). If you are inclined towards visual excess as I am, Flaubert’s text offers endless inspiration. One of the many temptations that poor Anthony encounters is the personifications of Lust and Death, in Flaubert’s description they are an inseparable duo, one cannot be without the other.

I found this magnificent and horrifying, his description of the two is chilling:

Lust: “My rage equals thine. I also yell ; I bite. I too, have sweats of agony, and aspects cadaverous.”

Death: ” It is I that make thee awful! Let us intertwine!”

I love that, it is so terrible, so damned, and yet Anthony resists them and they flee.

This painting unlike the last Temptation of St. Anthony of the Desert ( link: HERE) is a small little oil painting, only 16 by 20 inches. I painted smaller frankly because I am running out of studio space and I have two other large canvases that I am working on occupying two easels . 

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 The Temptation of Saint Anthony

2014

oil on canvas

16 by 20 inches

I wanted to commit to grissaile which at times has been a challenge; my love of color so great. Given the theme I resisted the siren’s call.

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detail of Lust and Death

I explored Lust and Death previously with my relief print Lust und Tod.

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The idea of Anthony carrying the mask came from a dream, which given Freud’s love of Flaubert’s Anthony, I thought too important to omit.

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I will close with this image, the handsome hermit tempting Temptation.

Be well, Lg

A Little Color for Those Damned Souls

I have set upon myself multiple projects, all in varying stages of progress; in so doing I have neglected completing the simplest of them all, namely my last print. As we head out to Portland Thursday morning I thought it best to finish at least one project.

I have and I must say I am pleased .

The print from my last post, Las Ánimas del Purgatorio,  just became a lot more colorful.

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Las Ánimas del Purgatorio (The Souls in Purgatory)

2014

three block relief print on paper

9 by 12 inches

A few other examples:

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This one is the proof from my last post, I just printed the orange plate over the existing black. I like how the orange ink muted the black , leaving crisp black where the plate wasn’t inked.

I must pack tomorrow, ready the house for the dog’s nanny, rush our aged cat Antigone to the kitty resort, pack, and steel my agoraphobic nerves for a trip to Portland. I doubt I will have much studio time before heading to LAX.

Until next time, be well, Lg

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Sept. 16th, an update. I felt compelled to note that the above print was submitted in a contest to design a t-shirt for the Day of the Dead ;  my submission was rejected as being inappropriate to the spirit of the holiday.  Nonsense.

In the words of the spokesperson :

“We appreciate your entry, however, we cannot accept it as is because it is not in the wholesome, celebratory, light-heartened nature in which we have hosted this promotion.”

 I think she meant “light hearted” ; I called her a nincompoop.

My rejection letters are  stacking  up but a few are such doozies that I take certain pride in them: the one from the city of Encinitas for nudity and this one for un-wholesomeness. I wear the unwholesome label proudly.

Labor’s Reward

I recently finished a decorative project for a certain blond mega pop star who everyone pretty much knows; as glamorous as all that may be, I really did not want the project. I do however hold her designer in high esteem and count him a a friend ; PLUS money is nice.  Money is really nice for buying oneself gifts. I have been itching for a press and I now have one.

Some fellows, when they have a mid life crisis buy a flashy car ; I buy a printing press, but is absolutely testosterone driven.

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 Press source

The work station is pretty fantastic gift as well, a birthday gift from the spouse man, welded steel, capable of supporting 3000 lbs, overkill, as the press is under 200 pounds, but again, testosterone driven on very  impressive wheels.

Source Uline : source

This press actually intimidated me a bit, and my chum the talented artist Deborah Lambert graciously walked me through the process; incredibly simple and it works like a dream, the following is an afternoon’s leisurely output.

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The relief print I worked on this afternoon was inspired by Flaubert’s The Temptation of St. Anthony, in one scene the poor beleaguered anchorite is tormented by Lust and Death,  representing the eternal circle of life.

I really love that idea, without Lust , Death cannot be fed, they need one another.

So hence , Lust und Tod.

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 Lust und Tod

2014

relief print on mulberry paper

9 by 12 inches

I have not been posting because I have been working on a large painting, once again dealing with life, death and salvation, apparently I never tire of the theme. As much as I love printmaking, painting gives me the greatest joy. I have existential angst at times as my prints are well received and my paintings, well, not so much. I may in fact not be terribly good, my landlady told me frankly I shouldn’t bother with paintings, focus on printmaking. I know she means well, though it did indeed sting; but the fact is I love painting. So good or bad, well received or not, I continue my practice. the following is a detail.

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be well, Lg

In Solidarity

The world feels like it is burning up at the moment: planes being shot out of the air, broken bodies tumbling forth; beautiful children being denied safe passage by my own people; other beautiful children huddling in terror as bombs drop from the sky; friends who I love , on the other side, living with a sense of doom and dread and I imagine moral ambivalence.

  But what has particularly upset me of late is the terrible choice ancient Chaldean Christians have faced , convert or die by the sword. For all of my love of the blessed saints, I don’t want to see more made.  These ancient peoples forced from their ancestral homes, their sacred churches now  at the mercy of savage thugs (New York Times, source ) .

This print is for displaced ancestors of Christendom.

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Agnus Dei II

2014

relief print on paper

9 x 12 inches

This unfortunate state has become a bit of an obsession for me.  The heated rhetoric, is divisive and unhelpful , so much so my husband has asked me to stop speaking of the unpleasantness.  So I turn to other means of expression, one of the most accessible, relief print.  I am reworking my relief print Agnus Dei, this time with Gazan blood and Ukrainian fire. I need to rework a bit still ,a little too much  indiscriminate crimson  ;  but given the amount of spilt blood, tears and broken lives perhaps the excess drama is right on target.

 Pax vobiscum,

Lg

Tlazoltéotl, a difficult birth

My esposo so rarely asks anything of me, he supports my work in every sense , so when he made a request for me to paint a portrait of the “Eater of Filth”, the Aztec goddess Tlazoltéotl, I could hardly say no. I introduced David to this fierce goddess when in Mexico City , reading aloud the words of the great Mexicophile , Alma Reed’s and her description of Tlazoltéotl :

” Primarily an earth goddess, Tlazoltéotl, “Eater of Filth”, alone among the female deities had a moral significance, since in eating refuse, she was believed to consume the sins of mankind, leaving them pure.” ( The Ancient Past of Mexico, 1966).

 I knew this would resonate with my beloved, for aside from Roman priests and the sacrament of confession, few professions aside from his own(psychoanalysis) are able to break through the wall of darkness and allow the  pure light of renewal into one’s soul.

He asked for a portrait of this patroness of sinners, of purification and of curing, of misdeeds and of childbirth and of renewal.

And unofficially, of psychic renewal.

 This is it.

For my darling, Tlazoltéotl, a difficult birth.

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Tlazoltéotl, a difficult birth.

2014

oil on panel

18 by 24 inches

My depiction of this great goddess was in a great part inspired by the well known depiction such as the one that follows. We in fact have a silly clay whistle of her, purchased at the base of the Pyramid of the Sun at Teotihuacan, sitting on our dining room sideboard.

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  In this image she is giving birth to one of the maize gods; again, a symbol of rebirth.

According to the Miller/Traube Dictionary of the Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico, she is often depicted with a broom to represent her ability to cleanse; I thought a dainty dust rag more fitting for my goddess. I’m not going to psychoanalyze my own painting, why the amputated semi- aborted men? I do not know.  I do know I chose butterflies, an almost universal symbol of the soul, some to be set free and to flourish and some to be crushed to their death, at her whim.

This seemed fitting for this goddess who we all most confront at some time ; the Aztecs, according to Reed, would make offerings and auto sacrifice to her upon their death bed. But as my own psychoanalyst interpreted recently, this great goddess of redemption, this “Eater of Sin”, needs our sins to survive as much as we need her for redemption.

Be well,

Lg

The Hero Twins Emerge Again

Yesterday in between a job and printmaking class I sketched in a new painting. My friend, the influential artist  Judithe Hernandez (http://www.judithehernandez.com) suggested I paint my recent Primavera on a larger scale, perhaps in grissaile.

As I respect her immensely, I’m doing just that.

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The original painting is far smaller, the new painting will be altered a bit and will be diptych .

The original Primavera follows:
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I must finish another (paying!) project first, but while the passion burns I was  eager to put pencil to canvas.

LG

showtime in puppetland

My marionettes are finished, now I find the task at hand of photographing them and hopefully in the near future making brief 13 second clips of their escapades. But thus far I have been hampered by having only two arms; awaiting the husband to act as studio assistant.

The image that follow are those I have managed solo.IMG_5191

Detail of the Axis Mundi against a fiery backdrop of Xibalba, the underworld.

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The Axis Mundi with the head of the slain Maize God

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Maize God

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The Hero Twins strung, ready to perform.

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They are incredibly photogenic, I feel I cannot take credit for them as they seem to have come forth on their own.

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The simple-minded God of Death, he also poses in a delightful way; he is quite a funny fellow.

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When I manage to score some stage hands I will post some tableaux , until that time ,be well, Lg

 

Two New Prints Off the Press (& a mask)

Last evening after a harrowing day dealing with family drama I was able to relax with friends , have a glass of wine and make a few prints courtesy of Deborah’s lovely  and efficient little press.

A balm to my stressed soul , gratitude  to Deborah, Melanie, Kara and Kenneth for camaraderie and inspiration.  The following  two prints are the result of such fine company:

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Agnus Dei-the Meso Version

2014 (plate carved ion the feast day of St.John the Baptist)

8.5 by 11 inches

relief print on paper

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Agnus Dei

2014

9 by 12 inches

relief print on paper

I’m thrilled to be back at the press and in the company of other artists exploring ink on paper.

I’m closing with another mask, I’m working towards 100 masks, a play upon Joseph Campbell’s Hero with a Thousand Faces; one hundred Heroes is enough for me!

Be well, Lg

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#5

2014

acrylic paint on papier mâche form